Shore Power cords...recommendations, sources....

[kayakrguy]

Movin along....I would like to have recommendations/sources for shore power cords to run between the T and campground power. My converter is limited to 20 amps, breaker protected, so I am looking at getting a good 15 amp 50' cord at one of the big boxes. I haven't seen anything bigger amp wise at the local box stores...

My biggest draw will be my AC (when I am using it) which draws 9 amps.
There may be a coffee pot in there somewhere too, but likely not with
the AC on. I will have two receptacles in parallel with the first one GFCI.
Other than the converter, those will likely be my biggest AC uses.

Have my DC subpanel wired. Now I have to mount the WFCO converter....their design is a pain for mounting purposes...ah well...no one said it would be easy

Thanks,

Jim

[dhazard]

Check out Ira’s favorite place WalMart…

I got one off the Heavy Duty cords, cut one end off and wired it to the WFCO.

[sdtripper2]

Harbor Freight

Green color outdoor extension cords:

50 FT. 12 GAUGE HEAVY OUTDOOR EXTENSION CORD

50 FT. 14 GAUGE OUTDOOR EXTENSION CORD

[halfdome, Danny]

I wouldn't go with the 14 gauge (line voltage drop) but rather the 12 gauge or better yet a 10 gauge if it's a long cord. There are some with a lighted end so you immediately know if you have power or not, I have a 25' 12 gauge with the LED end and it is real handy. I just plug it in before I do any setup so if needed I can move to where there is power. Danny

[asianflava]

There are some with a lighted end so you immediately know if you have power or not, I have a 25' 12 gauge with the LED end and it is real handy.

That little feature is more handy than most people would think.

[Leon]

Years ago I got a 10ga cord that I could plug my motorhome into without much drop. I was limited more by the outlet in the kitchen of the house that I plugged into than the cord itself. You could run a second, smaller cord to the back to plug the coffee pot into to reduce the load on the trailer's wiring.

[madjack]

There are some with a lighted end so you immediately know if you have power or not, I have a 25' 12 gauge with the LED end and it is real handy.

That little feature is more handy than most people would think.

I find it to be a damn handy feature...either in the shop or elsewhere.......................

[kayakrguy]

Guys,

Thanks for the recommendations....still doing everything twice here

I am curious about how folks who hook their power cords DIRECTLY to the WFCO do that...how they solve space issues etc....would appreciate hearing about that....

I haven't seen any LED type power cords hereabouts....but then I haven't really been 'looking' for them. I have become acutely aware that national chains' regional marketing/product offerings differ a great deal from region to region. Folks here say 'I got x at y'. So you go to y and look for x and you might as well be looking for the Hope Diamond...

Jim

[brian_bp]

So which campground power receptacle is to be used? If it is the 15 A outlet, then the heaviest-gauge 15A cord seems suitable... and the 20A rating on the converter places you in the situation of depending on the campground breaker to trip at 15 A and protect the cord from overload (although a 12 ga cord should be fine at 20A). The next size up is usually 30A, but I wouldn't want put on the connectors for that if you don't need them; I think 30A RV shore power cables are usually 10 ga.

There are readily available 10 ga cords with 20 A plugs, intended for use with generators, but they use the twist-to-lock 20A connector. You could cut one of them off to convert it to a 15A regular plug if that's what you need.

I would consider wiring the trailer and the trailer end of the cord with connectors so the cord is completely separate for storage. It risks theft, but may be easier than trying to stuff a permanently cord back in some hole in the trailer like many of us do.

[brian_bp]

...I haven't seen any LED type power cords hereabouts....but then I haven't really been 'looking' for them. I have become acutely aware that national chains' regional marketing/product offerings differ a great deal from region to region. Folks here say 'I got x at y'. So you go to y and look for x and you might as well be looking for the Hope Diamond...

You can mail/internet order to fix this (even from some of the same national chains), if the shipping cost doesn't make the arrangement nonsensical. If you were in Canada, I would know who to point to you toward for this, but cross-border shipping likely does not make sense on such a common item.